Page 2 of My Arrogant Millionaire

Sighing, I leaned back. »There’s no phrase I’d rather hear from my assistant,« I replied.

»I’m sorry. Ed and his team are still having trouble with that one programming error in the game. The event company we hired has gone bankrupt and...«

»Don’t say another word, I’m already on my way.«

»See you soon.«

»See you soon.« I hung up and stood up. Before heading to my bedroom to get dressed, I couldn’t resist turning around one last time to look at the other apartment. Unfortunately, the living room was empty, except for the cat on the couch. But I was sure that this wouldn’t be the last time we saw each other.

3

Grace

»Are you serious?«

I wedged my phone between my shoulder and ear as I flipped through the vinyl records. I loved old things, which was why my favorite hangout was the antique store on the Upper West Side. The smell alone and the stories these objects told were worth listening to. My finger traced the torn corner of a record sleeve.

»Yes, believe me, Will, I saw everything. Well, I would have if I had stayed.«

»Why didn’t you?«

»Are you out of your mind, or have Cecilia’s floral vapors gotten to you?« Will and Cecilia had been the ultimate power couple since our high school days. We had been friends for just as long, even though I often felt like the fifth wheel. They were incredibly sweet together and never fought. Well, maybe only when Ceci brought home yet another one of her new plants. Their apartment resembled a nursery. Occasionally, I introduced them to a guy I was dating, but they always knew right away who was a good fit for me and who wasn’t. It was a shame that there had never been a suitable candidate and they had always been right. Somehow, I had a penchant for jerks.

»No, seriously, it seems like the guy wants you to watch him, and you said he’s hot.«

»Like hell,« I replied and pulled a vinyl record from the stack. Did Mrs. Ramirez have a record player in her apartment? Probably not. Damn, my stuff had been in storage since I had to move out of my apartment, and I couldn’t get to my player.

»Then enjoy the show and be glad that luck is finally on your side again,« my best friend pulled me back from my thoughts. I put the record back. In reality, I didn’t have the money to buy anything anyway. Even though I was taken care of for food, my former business partner had left me not only with a ruined company but also a beautiful, towering mountain of debt.

»Yeah, maybe you’re right. He practically positioned himself right in front of the window. And this morning... You should have seen his gaze. He knows exactly how attractive he is and thinks every woman will go weak at the sight of his eyes.«

»Then go for it and let yourself be distracted.«

»God, no. I have enough problems and don’t feel like being another notch on someone’s bedpost.«

I continued strolling and held my smartphone properly again. »I’m focusing on Jack and making sure I find something permanent after the babysitting job.«

»That sounds like a sensible plan. A bit boring, but sensible.«

»By now, I like boring.«

»That’s not the Grace I know.«

I rolled my eyes, even though Will couldn’t see it. As I reached the furniture section at the back of the store, I admired a red velvet armchair with curved armrests that looked like lion paws. I loved this kind of whimsy. My old apartment had been full of it. And suddenly, the old pain gripped me again, making it hard to breathe. Damn. »The Grace you know would have immediately gone for her hot neighbor. But the Grace you know also went bankrupt because she was too trusting.«

This time it was Will who sighed. »Oh crap, my boss just walked in,« he whispered. »I’ll call you back later, bye!«

I opened my mouth to say bye, but Will had already hung up, and I lowered my phone.

»Holy monkey crap,« I blurted out as I looked up, straight into a pair of bottle-green eyes.

The man standing before me grinned across his handsome face. Hell, he was even more breathtaking up close. He wore a white V-neck long-sleeve shirt that clung to all the right places and loosely draped around his slender hips. Below, casual jeans that looked worn a hundred times, but at the same time, you could tell they were more expensive than the entire contents of my wardrobe. His angular jaw was covered in a three-day beard, and now I could also see that his thick hair was not just brown. It was a rich coffee brown, dense strands perfect for burying your hands in.

I swallowed. How much had he heard of my conversation with Will? And what on earth was he doing here, in my favorite antique store?

»For one, this dealer is also my favorite store,« he answered with a voice like rough velvet. Had I spoken my questions out loud? Great! That was just like me! »And for another,« he lowered his tone and leaned in slightly toward me. Mischief danced in his green eyes. »Every. Single. Word.«

I closed my lids and grimaced as if in pain, which, strictly speaking, was actually the case. Where was that hole in the ground when you needed it?

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